Foreign Secretary Shringla Condoles the Passing of Tejinder Singh

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In a message sent to Poonam Sharma, the Managing Editor of India America Today, Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla condoled the passing of our Founder and Editor, Tejinder Singh:

I was shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the untimely demise of my good friend, Tejinder Singh, Editor of the India America Today and White House Correspondent.

A brilliant writer and a wonderful human being, Tejinder worked tirelessly to bring to the readers the nuances and dynamics of the strategic India-US partnership and further strengthen bonds at the people-to-people level.

I had many opportunities to interact with him and benefit from his keen intellect and encyclopedic knowledge during my tenure as India’s Ambassador to the US. I found him deeply involved in issues that concerned the welfare and interests of the Indian community in USA. An out of the box thinker, I was often benefitted by the ideas and suggestions he proffered on the issues we dealt with.

His passing away leaves a void in the Indian-American media space and in our own hearts. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family and friends.

With regards,

हर्ष वर्धन श्रृंगला
Harsh Vardhan Shringla
विदेश सचिव
Foreign Secretary
विदेश मंत्रालय
Ministry of External Affairs
साउथ ब्लॉक, नई दिल्ली
South Block, New Delhi

Harsh Vardhan Shringla assumed charge as the 33rd Foreign Secretary of India on 29 January 2020. In the course of a diplomatic career spanning over 37 years, Foreign Secretary Shringla has held a variety of positions in New Delhi and abroad. He has served as India’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Bangladesh and the Kingdom of Thailand. He has also served in diplomatic assignments in France; USA (UN, New York); Vietnam; Israel and South Africa.

The Consequences of Myanmar’s Coup

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Renowned writer William Gaddis said, “Power doesn’t corrupt people, people corrupt power.”
Myanmar (Burma) and its citizens have long suffered the effects of an unstable political environment triggered by the desire of the military to take control of the country. The coup that took place in February and that put Myanmar in a year-long state of emergency has only succeeded in fueling the turmoil. Despite this and the fact that the NLD party, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, won the last general election by a landslide, the military now has control with commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing at the helm.

Power is the crux of the current situation in Myanmar, as journalist and panelist Naomi Gingold noted in the latest discussion by virtual think tank Global Strat View: “Myanmar (Burma) Coup: Reasons, Repercussions, the Chinese links and Options for the West.”

Part of ensuring this military power is maintained is the shutdown of communication including via the Internet and mobile data. Local and international journalists and media groups have had their licenses revoked but they have kept reporting, helping the world stay informed. Gingold underlined people can still get and spread information: “There are secret groups and encrypted apps that are keeping people informed. They send text messages with ‘Hey, this is what you need to know.’” Gingold went on to say that misinformation that is fueled in part by the military, on Facebook for instance, continues, but “there is a growing interest by young people to become discerning news readers and get the actual facts.”

As the established and international media, as well as social media platforms, continue to find ways to report on the country’s activities, there is no doubt that the situation is impacting the mental state of the Burmese. Trauma is triggered by the protests and clashes with police forces, as well as encountering brunt force and violence up close.

Paris Huang, White House Correspondent for Voice of America (Chinese Branch), who moderated the discussion, asked if the Burmese are ready to fight for democracy or the lifestyle they desire, or are they frightened and have chosen to retreat until things calm down.

Gingold said two things are happening. Some people are going along with the façade because it helps them keep their businesses operating and some are actively producing and distributing newspapers or running pirate radio stations.

“It doesn’t mean they’ve given up by any means or that they don’t care,” she pointed out, “there are still people who are very involved. After the coup, however, a lot shattered like strategies and what people were doing. A lot has been driven underground. Obviously, the military’s extreme violence has also stopped the huge protests we were seeing at the beginning, which were in a carnival-like atmosphere.” But people are still finding creative ways to protest despite the junta-imposed curfews and restrictions to gatherings, including teachers, government workers, lawyers and students. “The civil disobedience movement is still going strong, and I don’t think people have been cowed into submission. I think you might not see it as readily on the surface, but it’s very much there,” she said.

Impact of sanctions

Sanctions can be imposed by the international community, as has happened in the past, but the question is if sanctions would have any significant impact. Veteran journalist Rahul Mahajan, who reminded the audience that Myanmar faced wide-ranging sanctions from the West in 2003, the country diversified products and began trading with South Korea and Japan. “I don’t think they will have any effect on Myanmar, whose largest trading partner is China,” Mahajan said. “China, India or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations [ASEAN] have not put any sanctions. These are the immediate trade partners that have taken a strong position on the coup. This also reflects the kind of response that Myanmar is getting from countries, So, there is no effect from other countries.”

If we consider Japan, which has considerable influence in Myanmar and provides the most development assistance to that country, comprising US$140 million in aid and US$62 million in technical assistance, the question remains if Japan has leverage. The Japanese Foreign Ministry recently threatened to freeze development assistance if things did not change. Things are still up in the air. It should be noted though businesses are making decisions including Japanese brewery Kirin, which withdrew from the Burmese market, saying it did not want to support a military dictatorship. “Commercially, there’s quite a lot that could be done,” Gingold said.

Sino side of things

Does this give China an even more secure ‘in’? Things are not so cut and dried. Some Chinese investments are already at risk. A military coup cuts off economic possibilities and potentially fuels businesses to pull out of a volatile market. However, China and Myanmar have active military relations and, despite any issues that have emerged, their relations are good overall.

“These two countries are vital to each other’s security and strategies,” explained M Tu Aung, General Secretary, Nationalities’ Alliance of Burma, who led a protest at the Chinese embassy in Washington D.C., last November. “The 200-kilometer border with China’s Yunnan province is so deeply influenced by China’s economics, military and political support that this consequently weakens international sanctions.” China is Myanmar’s largest supplier of military weapons, exporting 60 percent of that just in the period 2014–18 alone. “Despite 20 years of Western sanctions, the cooperation and relationship between both countries has strengthened over the years,” Aung noted.

China also has denied any previous knowledge of the coup that took place a few months ago. China, along with Russia, vetoed the UN Security Council’s statement condemning the military move as well, saying the international community should not raise any tension.

“China is a friendly neighbor and has good relations with Suu Kyi, the NLD and the military,” Aung said. “Numerous reports suggest the Chinese have helped build a [Internet] firewall to protect the military. China though said the plane that flew into Myanmar that day did not carry technical personnel, but rather it was seafood.”

Indian influence … or not

India, which borders Myanmar in the northeast, is cautious. “We need to see the situation through the lens of India’s relationship with China,” Rahul told the audience. “Letting its neighbor fall completely under the influence of Beijing would result in a major security concern for India. We and everyone could understand that India has a very long border with Myanmar — a large part of that border is very porous — and we have faced insurgency from that border in the past. There were allegations that China was supporting that insurgence. So, it is a very difficult situation with India.”

Rahul pointed out that India also has a longstanding relationship with the Burmese military, which has supported India’s moves to fight insurgence groups in the past. “So, India has a special place for Myanmar, its military and people,” he remarked. India has issued statements asking for democracy to be reinstated but it has not criticized the junta. Rahul noted that India must consider everything when it comes to Myanmar. “Wrong steps could trigger problems. India is already facing threats on its northern border with China as well as the border with Pakistan, which has a close alliance with China. It will not risk destabilization with the eastern front,” Rahul said. “I think India will have a policy of non-interference regarding Myanmar affairs.”

What’s next?

Even though the Chinese government did not respond to the November protest in D.C., Aung said they will continue to put pressure on China: “We denounce the killing of innocent people, especially children and pregnant women. Ethnic minority civilians have been killed and many have been displaced. There are also calls for the immediate release of those who are being unlawfully detained. We are asking the international community to stop them; we are asking for a peaceful transition in Myanmar. We will continue to ask the U.S. and international communities.”

Gingold added that China is walking a fine line and does not want to publicly condemn the junta leaders. “We’ve seen the rise of a lot of anti-China sentiment from the public and there were Chinese factories in Yangong burned. Taiwanese companies are saying that flags should be placed to show they are not Chinese.”

The bottom line is that China has both strategic and commercial interests to ensure a good relationship with Myanmar because it can have access to a land route in addition to a sea route. “Let’s say there’s a blockade in the sea route in the future, they have an alternative route to Southeast Asia, which is important for China,” Rahul said. “China needs to be in the ‘good books’ with Myanmar to contain India and any growing influence from that end. China’s trade with Burma is 10 times more than what India has with Burma. China has big infrastructure projects like dams and roads. India is, of course, there and investing, but its basic concern is security.” Insurgency and those taking refuge in Myanmar put a dent in Indian-Burmese ties.

The future of Myanmar and Suu Kyi

According to Gingold, the military’s move to try and dissolve the NLD is history repeating itself after 1988. “The NLD won a landslide election then, making the party illegal. But it doesn’t spell the end for the NLD now. Going forward there is a civilian government, the NUG formed officially in April with elected lawmakers coming mostly from the NLD and a lot of ethnic minority groups. They’ve taken positive steps, they’re in conversation with different governments and they have created their own army. It’s giving people hope and giving something to rest their hopes on,” she said.

“As for Suu Kyi, she was playing politics in her country. It doesn’t excuse her for not condemning the Rohingya genocide. But there are other factors at play. The NLD is no longer just about her. There’s a generation of young people who became political activists overnight and, while there’s a lot still tied to her, they are less tied to her. The Western world has different options.

Debt Trap Diplomacy: China Funneling Funds in Africa to Gain Control of Sports Infrastructure

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Paris – In a startling revelation by a French newspaper ‘Le Monde’, it seems Beijing has been actively pursuing its dream of gaining control over African Heads of Government; winning over local sports markets and securing access to major sports events in the African continent.

In order to concretize this, the Chinese Government has been making inroads in various international sports bodies to further its goal of becoming a global soft power. Intelligently, it followed a systematic path by first participating in athletic events, then slowly started winning international competitions and finally gained a seat in the international organizing committee of sports bodies to promote its own agenda.

For the Chinese, it isn’t just about influence and exercising control. There is economics involved too, just like every other effort of theirs. The Chinese scheme involves advancing and flooding its own low-grade domestic products in the local African markets to demonstrate its ability to match international brands. At the same time, to nurture demand, the Chinese have been constructing sports facilities in many poor African countries that were severely lacking sports infrastructure, including stadiums and requisite training equipment for sports persons. It is obvious these initiatives were to function as a bait to generate the desired support from these nations in order to gain seats at international organizations.

In recent times, another ‘Le Monde’ article mentioned that in mid-March 2021, Alassane Quattara, President of the African country Ivory Coast, himself inaugurated a 60,000 seating capacity stadium in the northern part of capital Abidjan, which he claimed was a ‘gift from China’. It is presumed to be the main stadium that would host the finale of the 2023 African Cup of Nations, a major international men’s soccer competition in the continent, in which nearly 24 nations participate.

By gifting this stadium in Abidjan, China is eyeing building two more stadiums in this small nation, whose total staggering cost is expected to be beyond 200 million Euros. This reflects the typical Chinese tactic of enticing leaders with supposed ‘gifts’ and then building infrastructure worth millions that the country can very well do without, but when approved places it in a cycle of unrepayable and continuous debt.

In the past 10 years, China has built or renovated more than 100 stadiums in the African continent. It is well on course to capture more such facilities with the sole aim of strengthening its diplomatic relations with these African countries that later support its candidature to various international bodies of the United Nations. Beyond international diplomacy, as has been mentioned, this kind of investments in infrastructure help Chinese companies gain access to African markets to promote their products and keep the demand sustained.

Another interesting feature to these Chinese efforts is to win over the rights to broadcast major sporting events in the African continent for a Chinese company called ‘Star Times’. Already, these African countries with massive Chinese investments have been found rushing to sell their premium event’s rights to the Chinese broadcaster. To confirm, China has already ‘won’ broadcasting rights of the African Cup of Nations-2023, which is likely to be organized in Chinese- built stadiums, including the one in Abidjan.

It is time African nations realize the Chinese method of Debt Trap Diplomacy, which beyond hitting them economically is capable of enslaving them in a neo colonial set up, this time with a Chinese at the helm.

US Asks Nations to Reevaluate Ties with Burmese Military

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Washington, DC – The United States on Wednesday (May 19) urged other nations to reevaluate ties with the Burmese military, while reiterating tough talk on junta’s coup and denouncing the atrocities on political protests against it.

Answering a question from IAT (Tejinder Singh), Jalina Porter, Principal Deputy Spokesperson at the State Department briefing told journalists: “We condemn the Burmese military’s brutality and we encourage all countries to evaluate any links to the Burmese military, and we will continue to support the will of the people of Burma.”

On whether the US was considering sanctions on top Burmese brass, Porter replied that she didn’t “have any sanctions to preview from here (the podium).”

Hundreds of protestors across Burma have been killed since the February 1 military coup. There are protests taking place across the nation since the military seized control of the South East Asian country and declared a year-long state of emergency. There are also protests happening in Washington, DC, where Burmese diaspora is protesting in front of the Chinese embassy and monuments of national interest.

US Still Contemplating Vaccines for Other Nations

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Washington, DC – The United States is in the planning stage on the decision to send vaccines to other countries, and hence no quantity has been sanctioned for going to India or any other country, according to Jalina Porter, the Principal Deputy Spokesperson at the State Department.

Answering a question from IAT (Tejinder Singh), Spokesperson Porter told Journalists on Wednesday (May 19) during the daily State Department briefing, “The United States will send 80 million U.S. vaccines to help countries battling the pandemic by the end of June of this year.”

Porter elaborated, “This equates to all that’s manufactured – 60 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses – as soon as they’re reviewed by the FDA, as well as another 20 million doses that are authorized for use in the United States. We’ll continue to donate from our excess supply as that supply is delivered to us.”

On the allotment to various countries, Porter added, “As far as distribution, we’ll have more to say about how they’re distributing the vaccines in the coming weeks.”

The United States recently advised its citizens to leave India as soon as possible as the country battles a devastating second coronavirus wave.

India has been breaking global records with daily new infections and single-day death tolls. With visual reports of dead bodies floating down the rivers like the Ganges and the Yamuna, the rural population is exponentially affected by the epidemic.

Moreover, the Level 4 “do not travel” advisory, the highest of its kind issued by the Department of State, reflected the severity of the problem in India.

Israel – Palestine Conflict: US Coordinating with Egyptians and others for Ceasefire Efforts

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Washington, DC – The United States on Friday (May 14) admitted being in touch with Middle Eastern countries and encouraging efforts by allies, especially Egypt, to bring about a much needed ceasefire to the escalating violence between Israel and the Palestine forces.

Answering a question from IAT (Tejinder Singh), Jalina Porter, Principal Deputy Spokesperson at the State Department briefing told journalists: “We are actively engaging Egypt as well as other regional partners to work towards achieving a sustainable calm in the region.”

Earlier answering other questions on the subject of escalating violence Porter said, “We remain deeply concerned about the current violence, and we are working towards achieving a sustainable calm.”

On the question of Deputy Assistant Secretary Hady Amr’s trip in the region, she said, “He is in Israel and the West Bank to engage with senior Israeli and Palestinian officials. As you know that Amr has decades of experience in this issue. His trip is a part of an ongoing high-level engagement by senior US officials on these critical issues. But while he’s there, he’ll reinforce our message that we have stressed in many senior level engagements with the parties and other stakeholders this past week, which of course namely achieving a sustainable calm.”

According to a readout of the call, Egypt’s foreign minister, Sameh Shukry, with his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi, while condemning Israeli attacks on Palestinian territory, called for both sides to avoid escalation and resorting to military means.

The call seems to have fallen on deaf ears for many reasons. Internal political equations are simmering as a new government forming process has been shelved and the present Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is nothing but a lame duck leader. There is talk from his supporters to keep him in the leadership position as the country faces this crisis.

This points to a simple answer for an eternal question asked by investigative journalists: Who benefits the most?

But when a journalist posed a question that Prime Minister Netanyahu may be using this crisis in order to bolster his domestic political standing as “There is no formal government. He’s in essence a prime – a lame duck prime minister right now. The efforts for Yair Lapid to form a government have been suspended because of the violence, and now Naftali Bennett, who is one of the prime minister’s supporters, is suggesting that perhaps Netanyahu should just simply stay in office open ended regardless of the last election’s results because of this existential threat to Israel’s security,” Porter gave an interesting answer.

Porter said she didn’t “have anything to offer specifically on your comment to Prime Minister Netanyahu,” but added, “As far as being concerned, I will say that we are deeply concerned about the current violence, and of course are working to achieving a sustainable calm. And this is what we’re encouraging from our side.Of course, we’ve been very clear that Hamas’s ongoing rocket attacks into civilian areas of Israel are completely unacceptable and that they must cease.”

The State Department spokesperson continued, “Israel has the right to defend itself from these rocket attacks, and both Israelis and Palestinians – I will just leave it there and kind of just reiterate that we are concerned. It remains that we’re deeply concerned about the violence that’s happening right now.”

The second equally important factor is the announcement from the administration of US President Joe Biden to engage with Iranians again and restore the nuclear deal.

With Hamas allegedly funded and supported by Iranian elements, its escalation of conflict with Israel is set to decelerate Iranian nuclear deal talks.

According to reports, Egypt’s diplomatic team is on the ground in Israel after talking to Hamas leaders.

The US state department in its staple statement reiterated the right of Israel to defend itself but failed to address the slow but steady grabbing of Palestinian land.

Even in this conflict one thing is certain, Palestinian infrastructure is going to suffer. The point to note is that most of it is funded and constructed with the large hearted and humanitarian efforts of the European Union.

Time for the European Union, especially the European Commission and the members of the European Parliament to bring a strong voice to the table so this off-on destruction can be stopped and peace can prevail.

Global Focus: COVID-19, Variants, and Vaccines

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Washington, DC – Since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic on March 11, 2020, it has continued to take a toll on the world.

This month India reported the world’s highest increase in coronavirus infections, leading to a shortage of oxygen and hospital space across the nation. The sharp rise in cases has been attributed to super spreader political rallies and religious festivals. Scientists are still examining whether a novel coronavirus variant – containing two key mutations to the spike portion of the virus – is contributing to the surge.

On May 10, the World Health Organization said it was classifying the B.1.617 variant – the Indian coronavirus variant identified last year – as a variant of global concern. According to WHO, the predominant lineage of B.1.617 was first identified in India last December, although a previous version was identified in October 2020.

“We are classifying this as a variant of concern at a global level,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO technical lead on COVID-19. “There is some available information to suggest increased transmissibility.”

Initial laboratory-based studies of limited sample size indicate that B.1.617 spreads more easily, according to WHO, but more information is required to determine how much of the variant is circulating.

The B.1.617 variant is the fourth variant to be classified as a variant of global concern, necessitating increased analysis and tracking. Other variants include the ones first detected in Britain, South Africa and Brazil. According to GISAID, B.1.617 has been reported in 50 countries so far, with over 2000 cases in the UK and more than 700 in the US.

Indian authorities recently approved a locally developed drug (2-deoxy-D-glucose or 2-DG) authorizing its use for treating patients with COVID-19. 2-DG was developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) with the pharmaceutical company Dr Reddy’s. The government said it “will be of immense benefit to the people suffering” from Covid-19.

In a press release the Indian government said, “Clinical trial results have shown that this molecule helps in faster recovery of hospitalised patients and reduces supplemental oxygen dependence.”

However, health experts point to the paucity of clinical trial data on the drug’s performance, casting doubt on its emergency approval as a treatment for COVID.

Currently mRNA vaccines remain the most effective means of preventing severe illness from COVID-19. A new CDC assessment that finds fully vaccinated adults 65 years and older were 94% less likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than people of the same age who were not vaccinated. People 65 and older who were partially vaccinated were 64% less likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than people who were not vaccinated.

CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, said, “COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective and these real-world findings confirm the benefits seen in clinical trials, preventing hospitalizations among those most vulnerable. The results are promising for our communities and hospitals. As our vaccination efforts continue to expand, COVID-19 patients will not overwhelm health care systems – leaving hospital staff, beds, and services available for people who need them for other medical conditions.”

Where is Tibetan Panchen Lama?

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Camp: New Delhi – April 25, 2021, marks the 32nd birth anniversary of the 11th Panchen Lama Gendun Choekyi Nyima (GCN). The world has as much information or as little as it had when he was abducted by the Chinese authorities in 1995, following his recognition by the Dalai Lama. In 1995 he became the youngest individual to have been placed under virtual detention, becoming known as the world’s youngest political prisoner.

Panchen Lama is one of the most important spiritual leaders, second only to the Dalai Lama in the hierarchy of spiritual leaders in Tibetan Buddhism. The Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama share a warm and friendly relationship and have previously served as mentors and apprentices. They hold the highest decision-making power on the issue of reincarnation, and each had participated in the process of recognizing each other’s reincarnation. If one of them passes away, the other has undertaken the responsibility of searching for the reincarnated soul boy of the other and vice-versa.

The current 11th Panchen Lama, Gendun Choekyi Nyima, was born on April 25, 1989, in Lhari County, Nagqu Region, Tibet. He was recognized as the 11th Panchen Lama by the Dalai Lama, after following the Tibetan Buddhist tradition on May 14, 1995. However, two days later, on May 17, 1995, the GCN was abducted by the Chinese authorities. He has been missing for the last 26 years and is the world’s youngest and longest missing political prisoner. He was just 6 years old when he was abducted. So far, there has been no news about his whereabouts.

After the abduction of the GCN, Chinese authorities appointed its own Panchen Lama named Gyaltsen Norbu (son of members of CCP) in November 1995. This measure not only shows Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) disregard towards Tibetan religion and culture but also shows it effort to undermine the same. Xi Jinping‘s recent proposal of Sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism to improve social governance is yet another move of the CCP to sinicise Tibetan religion and culture. As part of the Sinicization effort the CCP, through National People Congress, has endorsed the use of Mandarin Chinese as the medium of instruction in ethnic minority areas and barred the use of local language (inconsistent with the provisions of Chinese laws). Thus, the use of Tibetan language is constantly being discouraged in Tibet and the Mandarin language is being promoted-which is said to increases the probability of fetching good jobs in the markets.

China is also imposing restrictions on Tibetans to travel to other countries, particularly to countries like India, Nepal and Bhutan. In recent times, China has announced strict supervision of 15 border ports in the border areas in the name of strengthening the border control and maintenance of security and stability.

The settlement of Han Chinese in Tibet is another major concern. China has recently proposed the construction of a super dam in its 14th Five Year Plan. It is fear that China’s decision to build super dam on Yarlong Zangbo River, close to LAC, will result in large Chinese migration to the Tibetan regions, thus, further diluting the cultural identity of Tibetans and reducing Tibetans into minority like China did in Inner Mongolia.

China over the years has made full effort to give a bad name to the Dalai Lama. His image has been turned into a “separatist” by the Chinese government. It has banned the photos of the Dalai Lama and possessing his photos is considered as an act of crime. The Chinese authorities maintain strong control over Tibetans and there are reports of many arbitrary arrests of Tibetans’ political activities without any evidence. In a recent report, the Radio Free Asia reported the arrest of six Tibetans for unknown reasons. According to The Tibet Post International a monk named Rinchen Tsultrim from Kahul village in Ngaba arrested in August 2019 was said to have been sentenced to four and half in prison for allegedly communicating outside of Tibet.

Similarly, the CCP has portrayed the Panchen Lama Gyaltsen Norbu as one of the authoritative voices of Tibet while keeping him under strict control. The CCP has also treated the previous 10th Panchen Lama Choekyi Gyaltsen harshly; however, in its historical accounts, their relations were often shown in colorful pictures.

The 10th Panchen Lama Choekyi Gyaltsen is a revered figure among Tibetans. He discovered the CCP’s attempt to repress the Tibetan rule, and he chose to stand by Tibetans. Choekyi Gyaltsen published ‘the seven thousand characters petition’ in 1962, severely criticising the CCP’s policy on Tibet, and was sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison. He was rehabilitated only after Deng Xiaoping came to power. Choekyi Gyaltsen rebuilt Tibet’s religious and cultural heritages and worked hard in the interests of Tibetans, for which he gained high prestige among the Tibetans. Therefore, he was assassinated in January 1989 by the Chinese authorities.

At present, the Chinese (fake) Panchen Lama Gyaltsen Norbu, is being projected as an official face of Tibetan Buddhism by the Chinese government. It has already leveraged the position of Gyaltsen Norbu by appointing him to a number of high profile positions, including the Vice-President of the standing committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. In 2019 he was made the head of the China Buddhist Association.

As far as Gendun Choekyi Nyima is concerned, the 11th Panchen Lama recognized by the Dalai Lama, there has been no credible information at all since 1995. Way back in August 2003, when asked about the Panchen Lama, who was 14 years old then and a mino, a spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry said, “He is now in a good healthy condition, leading a normal and happy life,” adding, “He is not the incarnated soul boy.”

In 2020, when the Panchen Lama was 31 years old, Chinese state media had the Chinese Foreign Ministry having a similar position, reporting, “this so-called ‘soul boy’ designated by Dalai Lama” is just an ordinary Chinese citizen living normally.” “Soul boy” is a mistranslation used by the Chinese authorities in English to refer to a reincarnated being.

So if the Chinese government considers the Panchen Lama “just an ordinary Chinese citizen,” today he is an adult and past his Age of Majority even under Chinese laws, and should be given all the rights, including to speak for himself. But the fact that the Chinese government continues to speak on his behalf shows that they have taken away his freedom of expression and that he is not “leading a normal and happy life”.

China not giving any credible information about the Panchen Lama’s whereabouts or status has even had several UN experts and working groups write formally to the Chinese government, expressing their concern and asking for an “independent monitor to visit him.”

At the heart of all these things is the issue of reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. For years the Chinese government has been grooming its own Panchen Lama. It is most likely that he will play an instrumental role in deciding the reincarnation of the next Dalai Lama in China. This will lead to two Dalai Lamas in the future if the current Dalai Lama decides to keep the tradition of reincarnation of the Dalai Lama continues.

The issue of reincarnation of the Dalai Lama is not limited to China and the Dalai Lama but has larger geopolitics consideration with security implications in the Himalaya regions.

The US has shown its full support for Tibet on the reincarnation issue. It has, in late 2020, passed the Tibet Policy and Support Act (TPSA) and sent a strong message to China that the US stands steadfast with the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan exile government.

The Panchen Lama turned 32 years old on April 25. Tibetans and their supporters all over the world not only celebrate the birthday of the 11th Panchen Lama but also take the occasion to raise their voice to demand the release of the Panchen Lama from the CCP’s captivity.

US Refuses to Comment on Turkey-Pakistan-China Nexus

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Washington, DC – The United States has no comments on the various reports in regional and international media which allege a growing interest of Turkey, Pakistan and China to collaborate in sharing and developing weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

At the regular State Department briefing on Friday (May 7), IAT (Tejinder Singh) posed the question: “What is the US reaction to reports over last few weeks about the emergence of a China-Pakistan-Turkey nexus on nuclear proliferation, and Pakistan coordinating on capacity-building of the three countries which has been flagged by watchdogs and media? And we all know about Turkish President Erdogan has been quoted as expressing his desperation on developing the caliphate atom bomb to fulfill his neo-Ottoman aspirations. So what is the US reaction to these reports?”

In response Jalina Porter, Principal Deputy Spokesperson at the US State Department told journalists during the daily State Department briefing, “We have no – nothing to announce on these reports at this time.”

Interesting to note that Selcan Hacaoglu writing in a Bloomberg report titled, “Turkey Widens War Tech Hunt by Tapping Pakistan’s China Ties,” noted: “Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hailed “very serious potential” for collaboration with Pakistan on defense projects, and top defense officials have met in recent months.”

The report further said: “A deal would get NATO-member Turkey closer to some of China’s military technology. Pakistan builds its JF-17 fighter jets with China and is said to have adapted Chinese designs for its Shaheen ballistic missile.”

Another report by Paul Antonopoulos in Greek City Times listed a number of meetings between Pakistani and Turkish top army brass, including Pakistan’s Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), General Nadeem Raza who visited Turkey from March 27th to April 2nd.

Antonopoulos wrote: “It is pertinent to note that reportage in the press on all these meetings mentioned that defence production was one of the main agendas, with aerial vehicles and nuclear proliferation being the target areas.”

“The emergence of a China-Pakistan-Turkey nexus on nuclear proliferation and Pakistan coordinating on capacity building of the three countries has already been flagged by watchdogs and media,” added the Greek City Times report.

Pentagon Explains Military Assistance to Azerbaijan as Biden Waives Ban

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Washington, DC – The United States listed a few explanatory points for offering military support to Azerbaijan as a conflict between it and Armenia is still hot and brewing. The Biden administration recently declared Turkish massacre of Armenians more than a century ago as “Armenian Genocide.”

Responding to a question on the presidential waiver on the ban on military aid to Azerbaijan from IAT (Tejinder Singh) at the Pentagon briefing, Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Anton T. Semelroth, DoD Spokesman said in a delayed email reply, “We review thoroughly any potential assistance to Azerbaijan to ensure it will not undermine or hamper ongoing efforts to negotiate a peaceful settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan and will not be used for offensive purposes against Armenia.”

“Our non-lethal security assistance to Azerbaijan is in the US national security interests, and helps enable Azerbaijan to secure its southern and maritime borders to reduce the threat of terrorists, WMD, and other illicit trafficking.”

Citing examples to support the US decision, the DOD Spokesman added, “For example, just recently the x-ray scanners we provided were used to identify a large shipment of heroin at the Iranian border.”

Within 100 days of being sworn-in as the US President, Joe Biden became the first US president to issue a statement formally describing the 1915 massacre of Armenians as a genocide.

The killings took place in the days of the Ottoman Empire, the forerunner of modern-day Turkey. But the issue is highly sensitive, and previous US administrations have not used the term genocide in formal statements amid concerns over damaging relations with Turkey, a NATO ally.

Bit within two weeks of formally recognizing the Armenian Genocide, President Joe Biden gave a waiver to give American taxpayers money to Azerbaijan.

Nearly a year ago Azerbaijan reignited sanguinary hostilities with Armenia on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, resulting in thousands of deaths.

Within weeks, a Russian-French-American ceasefire brought open hostilities to a smoldering peace but Azerbaijan had already gained control of a sizable area from Armenia.

The FREEDOM Support Act, enacted in 1992 bars foreign aid from Azerbaijan, crafted amid the first Nagorno-Karabakh War following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

In 2002 Congress gave the American President power to waive that ban on foreign aid to Azerbaijan.

During the campaign trail, Candidate Biden had openly criticized then incumbent president Donald Trump for waiving the ban and now President Biden himself has done exactly the same, thus adding more to millions of American taxpayers dollars siphoned off to an aggressor country against Armenia.

Political pundits and those watching the region raise issues about the Azerbaijan, Turkey and Pakistan nexus in the volatile area.